Synopsis: “Siddhartha is Nobel Prize-winning author Hermann Hesse’s most famous and influential work, a novel of self-exploration that will linger in your mind and spirit for a lifetime.

A young man, blessed with loving parents and a safe home in a world where want and neglect abound, leaves this haven in search of himself. He joins the Samanas, a band of wandering ascetics without possessions or earthly ties. His quest unfulfilled, he descends into a life of unbounded luxury and indulgence. Where is truth? Where will his soul find true ease? In denial? In decadence? Or in some truth far greater than himself, so simple, so close to him, yet so obvious that only clear eyes may see it?” -Audible

Opening thoughts:

I believe I added this book to my list because Tim Ferriss mentioned it several times in his podcast. In one of the more recent ones, he said that many of the people featured in Tools of Titans actually mentioned this book as well. Again, I cannot refuse a highly recommended book by so many esteemed people.

Synopsis: “From a former FBI Special Agent specializing in behavior analysis and recruiting spies comes a handbook filled with his proven strategies on how to instantly read people and influence how they perceive you, so you can easily turn on the like switch.

Dr. Schafer cracks the code on making great first impressions, building lasting relationships, and understanding others’ behavior to learn what they really think about you. With tips and techniques that hold the key to taking control of your communications, interactions, and relationships, The Like Switch shows you how to read others and get people to like you for a moment or a lifetime.” -Audible

Opening thoughts:

Another book I came across because it was in my recommended reads in Audible. It had a lot of good reviews and a compelling synopsis, so why not? I also wanted to read something less business-y and more on interpersonal skills. Lastly, I wanted to keep with this month’s theme of red-colored book covers so all of the books would match when I collage it for Instagram, lol.

Getting into the mind of your interviewer before the meeting will give you a huge advantage. Find out where they live, their routes to work, what stores they shop at, where their kids go to school, etc. These are good talking points during your interview and will distinguish you from the rest of the applicants.

Synopsis: “YouTube has now become so popular that millions of visitors come and go every day and it’s widely used by normal people like you and me. A few years back, YouTube wasn’t as popular of a way to make money, but today there is an incredible opportunity to make money on YouTube.

In this book, you’ll get a step-by-step roadmap to setting up your YouTube channel, building your audience, monetizing your channel, and making a lot of money in the process. You will be walked through all the way to your success as a YouTube marketer.” -Audible

Opening thoughts:

Recently, I’ve been thinking more about seriously starting a YouTube channel to create content consistently and build a following. There wasn’t much in terms of audiobooks on the subject, but this seemed to be the most promising relative to the other handful of books. I wasn’t really expecting much from this aside from a simple starting point.

Synopsis: Trevor Noah, one of the comedy world’s fastest-rising stars and host of The Daily Show, tells his wild coming-of-age story during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed. In this Audible Studios production, Noah provides something deeper than traditional memoirists: powerfully funny observations about how farcical political and social systems play out in our lives.

The stories Noah tells are by turns hilarious, bizarre, tender, dark, and poignant – subsisting on caterpillars during months of extreme poverty, making comically pitiful attempts at teenage romance in a color-obsessed world, thrown into jail as the hapless fall guy for a crime he didn’t commit, thrown by his mother from a speeding car driven by murderous gangsters, and more.” -Amazon

Opening Thoughts:

All I know about Trevor Noah was that he took over as host for The Daily Show on Comedy Central after John Stewart left, that he’s hilarious, and he’s South African. Other than that, I knew nothing about Trevor. I saw the ratings and reviews and was instantly sold. I’ve been looking for a good autobiography to pick up, but thought this would be a separation from the typical books I read about business moguls, high performers, and wealthy people. The last book I read about a comedian was Steve Martin’s book, which was a good time as well.